Down Under, the potty-mouthed "Ted" ruled the multiplex, grossing a surprisingly strong $6.9 million during its second weekend in Australian theaters, according to an estimate from distributor Universal Pictures. After debuting in the No. 1 position in the country last weekend, Seth MacFarlane's raunchy comedy saw its ticket sales fall only 22% and has now collected a total of $24.5 million.

By comparison, "Ice Age: Continental Drift" sold $4.1 million worth of tickets in Australia during its third weekend in theaters there, while "The Amazing Spider-Man" took in $3.8 million in its second weekend in the country.

So far, Universal has only released "Ted" in four foreign countries, which also include New Zealand, Iceland and Taiwan. So far, the movie has grossed $31.3 million internationally and won't debut in some major markets such as Germany and Russia until August.

While the humor of R-rated comedies doesn't always translate well overseas, many perform better in English-speaking Australia. Last year, "The Hangover Part II" grossed over $35 million in the country, while "Bridesmaids" took in $28 million. In 2012, "21 Jump Street" did particularly well, though "Ted" has already surpassed its $15-million gross.

Meanwhile, "Ted" is keeping an impressive hold at the U.S. box office. This weekend, the film brought in an additional $22.1 million, raising its overall domestic tally to $159 million after three weekends in theaters.

When I was with a group of parents earlier this week, watching our kids play in a 14-and-under baseball tournament, I asked them how many of the boys—aged 13 and 14--had gone to see the R-rated movie “Ted.” The answer: Just about all of 'em. But here’s what I found really surprising: Nearly all...